Talk:Murata Himeko/@comment-37582298-20190617212148/@comment-96.255.211.49-20190919082711
I agree with SqueakyTeitoku. She was about to use the serum on herself prior to choosing to fight Benares and ultimately using the serum to save Kiana (which is part of why Kiana was so distraught of not being able to overpower Sirin on her own). Only reason she might be alive is because she was pulled by GK into the imaginary space or void (not sure what the realm actually is called). Like the original boss fight, and Hellheim and similar I suppose to the Sea of Quanta where Seele was lost, time passes differently if at all and iirc it slowed or halted the effect of certain debuffs etc as a gameplay mechanic (I remember using it to dodge the freeze and flames for example, but I think there was another mechanic that required you to go to the imaginary space to avoid damage or something like that). Anyhow since Himeko is lost in that space explaining that her body's honkai corruption would have ceased or slowed after she broke the suit with her final attack (the suit was accelerating her corruption) she may still be in the unconscious state nearly full zombie. There are many ways they can explain within the lore that someone can go get her, either Kiana's new ability to manipulate the void, Bronya's Gem of Reason that allowed her to escape the Sea of Quanta, or Seele's less clear connection to and manipulation of the SoQ. It's a great story either way. I'm not one that feels it's necessary for her to be dead for the story to have weight. Her giving up her own ability to save her own life to save her student is the beauty of the story to me. Kiana's redemption (although it wasn't her fault) but redeeming that guilt she feels by making a similar sacrifice or at least risk to save her "Aunt" would be an equally powerful story to me. But again, many people want the death for some reason which is fine as well. The story can go either way logically. For me, it's not sacrifice that makes a hero but it's the willingness to and the motivation that does. Sacrifice is always a tragedy, otherwise it wouldn't really be sacrifice. In other words, if Himeko's alive diminishes the story then the audience wants the blood sacrifice more than heroic intent. Needing a death to "make the story better" at the same time diminishes the value Himeko put on Kiana's life (meaning we as the audience are saying "for this to be good someone needs to die"), but her being alive in no way diminishes what she chose to do because from her persepective she gave up her own life and that is what makes the moment powerful for me. I don't think a soldier or first responder is a hero only if they die, rather they are heroes for putting the lives of others above their own. Kiana saving Himeko or anyone else is the perfect reward for Himeko's sacrifice which I would surely say she earned. I'm not sure why people enjoy a sad ending so much, the real world news is more than enough tragedy for me.